Latest news with #O'Connor
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jack O'Connor challenges Kerry GAA to ‘make fans proud' vs Donegal & reveals most important thing they must get right
JACK O'CONNOR has been in the game long enough to know it is not all about the big day. O'Connor is preparing for his SEVENTH All-Ireland SFC final in his third stint as Kerry boss. And the first season of his two previous spells yielded Sam Maguire. Advertisement 5 Jack O'Connor will be leading Kerry into an All-Ireland final for the SEVENTH time Credit: Domnick Walsh/Sportsfile 5 They won it in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2022 Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile 5 Kerry lost in the final in 2011 and 2023 Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile The Kingdom reached the summit in his maiden campaign in 2004 and again in 2006 before he stepped down in October of that year and was replaced by Pat O'Shea. O'Connor returned to the hotseat in 2009 and delivered All-Ireland glory with victory over Stephen Cluxton's last-gasp free won Sam for Fast-forward a decade and Kerry reached the promised land all over again under O'Connor in his maiden season of his third spell. Advertisement Read More on GAA The playing personnel have changed, as has the game with a And, as Kerry chase a 39th crown, the Dromid Pearses man knows managing the build-up is as important as the game itself. The 64-year-old said: 'You have to enjoy the season as a whole, otherwise it becomes a chore. I think the players would agree there were years that they clenched their fist, gritted their teeth and wished their lives away almost and you couldn't bring that to a match then. 'I've made plenty of mistakes. I remember one of my early years, I reckon I had the match played in my head 1,000 times beforehand, but when you come to the day itself, you're spent. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football 'You pick up a couple of things, mainly in terms of what you need to avoid and being economical with your energy . 'There's no point in being all wired to the moon and having all your energy spent by the weekend of the game. Sharlene Mawdsley takes part in hilarious road race as part of Tipperary's All-Ireland celebration 'That goes for the backroom team as much as the players because All-Ireland final weekend can be draining enough with all the nervous tension.' O'Connor is bidding to lead Kerry to a fifth title. Only the legendary Mick O'Dwyer, who Advertisement Leading the Munster giants to a first All-Ireland title in eight years in 2022 was a huge achievement, as expectations are always great in the county. summer hurt. But enjoyment is a big part of the experience, despite the weight of expectation that comes with being Kerry boss. Advertisement O'Connor encourages his players, led by star forward He said: 'You have to enjoy it. It's not all about stress when you can feel a buzz around the county and you feed into a lot of that. 'I remind the players they are doing something that is giving a lot of enjoyment to people and that's something very worthy to be involved in. 'One of the most important things on All-Ireland final day is the ability to be able to think on your feet and that's important for the coaching staff as well. Advertisement 'You give them a couple of nuggets throughout the season but outside of a casual chat over a cup of coffee , switch off and live your life. 'David Clifford is well able to get away from the pressure and we develop mechanisms at times to keep the heat off him, especially in his private life. We are amateurs, not professionals. We need a bit of space to get that energy back.' BACK AGAIN They say you should never go back, but knowing when to leave is vital too. O'Shea succeeded O'Connor in 2006 and Sam Maguire was retained in 2007. Advertisement When Donegal gunned down the Kingdom in 2012, O'Connor knew his time was up. His former player and coach Éamonn Fitzmaurice took over and claimed Sam Maguire in 2014. Paddy Tally departed as coach last year to take the And mixing it up on the line is key for O'Connor. 5 Kerry manager Jack O'Connor, right, celebrates with Aidan O'Mahony after the All-Ireland final in 2009 Credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE Advertisement He said: 'Someone like Cian O'Neill brings in freshness. 'You always need to bring in a new voice after three years because three years is probably the lifespan of a management team or else you call it quits, like I've done a couple of times in the past. Cian is a very experienced coach and knows the game inside out. That can only be a positive for the boys — and especially when you had the new rules introduced this year. 'It was challenging to try to find the right way to go around it and we were learning on our feet. 'James Costello, Aodán Mac Gearailt and Pa McCarthy are great coaches in their own right and we have a good backroom team that gels. Advertisement 'I can get excited enough on the sideline. And while we all have our moments, it's important to stay back and watch the game calmly because it's hard to think clearly if you get too carried away.' PLAYING THEIR PART The Kerry support rarely get carried away, but can be a fickle bunch. The Kingdom faithful were significantly outnumbered in the last-four defeat by eventual champions Armagh last summer. And O'Connor insisted the Orchard's fans, decked out in bright orange, played a part in helping Kieran McGeeney's men over the line in extra-time. Advertisement But after a call to arms by two-time Footballer of the Year Clifford, Kerry supporters have come out in force and were again among the 62,434 crowd for the semi-final humbling of O'Connor added: 'The players have to play their part to give the supporters something to shout about but it can be a powerful combination if you have those two things going hand in hand. 'I felt it was a factor for us last year in losing to Armagh. I don't think anyone could dispute it was a factor.' 5 Rory O'Carroll, Dublin, attempts to get in the way of a conversation between Kerry manager Jack O'Connor, and Declan O'Sullivan Credit: Dáire Brennan / SPORTSFILE Advertisement
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- Science
- 7NEWS
AI-powered, heat-seeking satellites target Aussie fires in Northern Territory
A cluster of bushfires in a remote part of the Northern Territory is helping an international research team monitor natural disasters using satellites and artificial intelligence (AI). The fires, detected at Borroloola on the McArthur River, are among the first to be captured by the Earth Fire Alliance's FireSat Protoflight satellite, with images released this week. But scientists behind the effort say it may take the launch of another three satellites, scheduled for next year, to create bushfire modelling and more accurately predict where and how fires spread. The non-profit alliance, which has partnered with Google Research and Muon Space, aims to deliver bushfire detection and monitoring using satellites and AI software, and provide data to emergency services and scientists in near real time. The group's first satellite launched in March and international relations lead Dr Karen O'Connor said the first four publicly released images captured by infra-red cameras demonstrated its potential. 'We're just starting to get our first glimpses of how this system is going to really provide unparalleled information on fires to support fire agencies and protect communities,' she said. 'Those of us who live in Australia will know all too well the devastating impact of bushfires.' The satellite images include a collection of active fires in the Northern Territory, a minor, roadside fire detected in the US state of Oregon, and bushfires in Ontario, Canada, where the camera was able to distinguish between an active fire and burn scars on the land. Using high-resolution cameras, the satellite could detect fires about the size of a classroom, O'Connor said, and with a full constellation of 50 satellites, it would be able to monitor a fire's progress every 20 minutes. An additional three satellites are planned for launch in the second half of 2026. 'We will be working closely with early adopters, including agencies across five Australian states and territories,' O'Connor said. Agencies participating in the program include the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, the Queensland Fire Department, and the South Australian Country Fire Service. NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Peter McKechnie said firefighters were grateful to be consulted in the development of the system and were almost 'impatient' to use the technology when it could reliably detect, monitor and predict the path of bushfires. 'The whole team is excited about this,' he said. 'This is taking us to a pathway of being able to ingest that information straight into our dispatch systems and dispatch resources based on what is detected.' Being able to monitor the spread of fires would also help to create advanced fire modelling and could help researchers predict a fire's movement and direct firefighting efforts, Google Research climate and energy lead Chris Van Arsdale said. 'This stream of data will allow scientists to build the next generation (of) predictive models,' he said. 'It would be great to live in a world where we don't have a high degree of uncertainty from wildfires.' The Earth Fire Alliance plans to launch more than 50 satellites and reach full operation by 2030.
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Government urged to clarify military intelligence powers in new phone tapping legislation
An oversight judge on phone tapping said it was 'imperative' the Government urgently clarified in law the roles and powers of military intelligence in safeguarding the security of the State. In his 2025 report, Mr Justice Tony O'Connor said the Defence Forces recently built a new high-security facility for the Irish Military Intelligence Service (IMIS). The service moved into the building last March, but the service is still awaiting Government measures to modernise and legislate for its national security remit. Mr O'Connor is the designated judge for the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Act 1993 and Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011, as amended by the 2022 act. In his report to the Taoiseach for May 1, 2024, to April 1, 2025, Judge O'Connor repeated his calls for online communication, including encrypted services to be included in the laws. This includes Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The interception legislation is now 32 years old and successive governments have promised updated laws, with the current administration telling the Dáil a draft bill is due later this year. An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces utilise powers of interception, the former for the investigation of serious crime and State security and the latter for State security only. Other agencies, such as Revenue and Fiosrú (formerly Gsoc), have powers under the 2011 act on communication (not content) data. The role of designated judges have now been taken over by the new independent examiner of security. Mr O'Connor, like designated judges before him, does not provide statistical data on the number of phone interceptions, with Mr O'Connor maintaining he sees 'little merit' in doing so. The High Court judge said applications from the gardaí were 'low' and were 'down in numbers', adding all were granted by the minister for justice. 'The number of authorisations granted pursuant to section 4 [serious offence investigations] were not significantly higher than those made under section 5 [security of the State],' the judge said. In his previous, 2024 report, he said the number of interceptions 'relative to the State's population size appear low'. He said the existing and anticipated developments on communication known to An Garda Síochána 'should be accommodated' in the new legislation. Mr Justice O'Connor said military intelligence moved to a 'new bespoke secured facility' last March. 'The new facility is a welcome development and affords a modern and professional aspect,' he said. 'The new building is purpose-built to top secret clearances and security specifications.' He said the old Irish Military Intelligence Service building, which they had used since the 1980s, was transferred to new Joint Cyber Defence Command in May. Judge O'Connor pointed out military intelligence uses the acts only in matters relating to the security of the State and the integrity of its institutions. It is for intelligence purposes only. The report said the use of the 1993 and 2011 acts for military intelligence 'was limited' over the last 11 months, but added the 'significance and value of those provisions for the PDF should not be underestimated'. He said he supported the 'urgent call' made by the Commission on the Defence Forces in its February 2022 report for clarification of the role, functions and powers of military intelligence in new legislation. 'There is an imperative to clarify the role, functions and powers of the IMIS in underpinning legislation,' he said. Read More National Development Plan allocates almost €4bn for defence and justice capital spends
Perth Now
9 hours ago
- Science
- Perth Now
AI-powered, heat-seeking satellites target Aussie fires
A cluster of bushfires in a remote part of the Northern Territory is helping an international research team monitor natural disasters using satellites and artificial intelligence. The fires, detected at Borroloola on the McArthur River, are among the first to be captured by the Earth Fire Alliance's FireSat Protoflight satellite, with images released this week. But scientists behind the effort say it may take the launch of another three satellites, scheduled for next year, to create bushfire modelling and more accurately predict where and how fires spread. The non-profit alliance, which has partnered with Google Research and Muon Space, aims to deliver bushfire detection and monitoring using satellites and AI software, and provide data to emergency services and scientists in near real time. The group's first satellite launched in March and international relations lead Dr Karen O'Connor said the first four publicly released images captured by infra-red cameras demonstrated its potential. "We're just starting to get our first glimpses of how this system is going to really provide unparalleled information on fires to support fire agencies and protect communities," she said. "Those of us who live in Australia will know all too well the devastating impact of bushfires." The satellite images include a collection of active fires in the Northern Territory, a minor, roadside fire detected in the US state of Oregon, and bushfires in Ontario, Canada, where the camera was able to distinguish between an active fire and burn scars on the land. Using high-resolution cameras, the satellite could detect fires about the size of a classroom, Dr O'Connor said, and with a full constellation of 50 satellites, it would be able to monitor a fire's progress every 20 minutes. An additional three satellites are planned for launch in the second half of 2026. "We will be working closely with early adopters, including agencies across five Australian states and territories," Dr O'Connor said. Agencies participating in the program include the Tasmania Fire Service, the Queensland Fire Department, and the South Australian Country Fire Service. NSW Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Peter McKechnie said firefighters were grateful to be consulted in the development of the system and were almost "impatient" to use the technology when it could reliably detect, monitor and predict the path of bushfires. "The whole team is excited about this," he said. "This is taking us to a pathway of being able to ingest that information straight into our dispatch systems and dispatch resources based on what is detected." Being able to monitor the spread of fires would also help to create advanced fire modelling, Google Research climate and energy lead Chris Van Arsdale said, and could help researchers predict a fire's movement and direct firefighting efforts. "This stream of data will allow scientists to build the next generation (of) predictive models," he said. "It would be great to live in a world where we don't have a high degree of uncertainty from wildfires." The Earth Fire Alliance plans to launch more than 50 satellites and reach full operation by 2030.
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kate O'Connor on course for gold at World University Games
Kate O'Connor has put herself in prime position to win gold at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany – the Dundalk athlete sitting atop the overnight standings in the heptathlon with four of the seven events completed. O'Connor racked up 3737 points on day one, leaving her 137 points clear of Hungary's Szabina Szucs, with Austria's Emilia Surch third on 3552. O'Connor, a master's student in communication and PR at Ulster University, started the day with a 13.89-second clocking in the 100m hurdles, some way down on her best of 13.57. But she bounced back with a hugely impressive 1.83m in the high jump, the second highest clearance of her career, which she went over at her first attempt. That left her atop the leaderboard on 2010 points, and O'Connor extended her lead in the shot put, throwing 13.76m. She closed the day in spectacular fashion, smashing her personal best with 24.33, her previous best being the 24.73 she ran in 2022. It's already been a record-breaking year for the 24-year-old, who won pentathlon bronze at the European Indoors in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands before winning World Indoor silver in Nanjing, China. Kate O'Connor, from Dundalk in Louth, representing Ulster University and Ireland. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile. She smashed the Irish pentathlon record twice indoors, and is on track to smash her Irish heptathlon record of 6297, which dates back to 2021. Her current tally of 3737 points is well clear of the 3666 she had amassed at the same point of the competition when she set the national record. O'Connor will be back on track on Thursday morning for the heptathlon long jump, with the javelin in the early afternoon and the climactic 800m at 7.12pm Irish time. A live stream is available on Just four Irish athletes have ever won gold at the World University Games: Ronnie Delany over 800m in 1961; Niall Bruton and Sonia O'Sullivan over 1500m in 1991; and Thomas Barr in the 400m hurdles in 2015. Barring injury or any major glitches on day two, O'Connor is likely to add her name to that list. She is strong in all the remaining events, having improved her long jump best to 6.32m this year and her 800m best to 2:11.42, while the javelin is usually her forte. Her best of 52.92m dates to 2019 and this will be her first time throwing it in competition since last year's Paris Olympics. Elsewhere, Jack Raftery came home fourth in the men's 400m final, the Dubliner unable to quite reproduce his recent heroics at the European Team Championships, where he became the second Irishman in history after David Gillick to break 45 seconds. Raftery left himself a difficult task after finishing third in his semi-final, which saw him drawn on the difficult inside lane for the final. Nonetheless he charged into medal contention off the final bend but couldn't quite pull it off, coming home fourth in 45.69, with gold going to South Africa's Lythe Pilay in 44.84. Lauren Roy advanced to the semi-finals of the women's 200m after finishing second in her heat in 23.57. Meanwhile, Sarah Lavin was in action in Eisenstadt, Austria, the Limerick athlete clocking 12.83 (+1.3m/s) to finish third in the women's 100m hurdles, with Poland's Pia Skrzyszowska taking victory in 12.72. Lavin had earlier clocked 12.92 to finish runner-up in the heats.
